CHINESISCHE GEMALDE - CHINESE PICTURES.

Voretzsch, Ernest Arthur.

Published by Otsuka Kogeisha, Tokyo, 1932

About this Item

Tokyo:  Otsuka Kogeisha, 1932.  1st and only edition. Elephant folio. (Approximately 23 x 18 inches). Title and imprint in Japanese. Stately in production and typical of oriental aesthetics, the clothbound book is stab-bound in the oriental manner, with a very pleasing multicolor Chinese style ornamental tree pictorial cover. Comes with the original folding slipcase, slightly worn at the corner. Comes with original bone clasps. Very fine in a very good slipcase. Preface (5 pages) by Jiro Harada (in English) and a Foreword (in German and Japanese) by Rikichiro Fukui.  Illustrated with 57 large sepia plates from photographs of Chinese paintings, many of them dating from the Song, Yuan and Ming Dynasties. Each plate is accompanied by a leaf with explanatory letterpress in German, Japanese and English (sometimes identifying artists and approximate dates).  Wonderful association copy. BOLDLY SIGNED PRESENTATION IN GERMAN BY VORETZSCH TO JIRO HARADA. Dated Tokyo 1932. Although not noted explicitly, Harada alludes to the "collector" of all the paintings depicted in the book (who is obviously Voretzsch). In the Foreword, Fukui makes the statement that the entire collection belongs to Voretzsch who acquired most of the paintings in South China during his travels in Asia.  Fukui states that Japan has more Chinese representative paintings than China itself. He also states that "Chinese art has served as a model for Japanese painters during the past ten centuries".  Fukui ends by stating that he is indebted to Voretzsch for the opportunities he had to see the collection and to discuss Chinese paintings. Already by 1916, Voretzsch was publishing articles about Chinese art (Shanghai 1916). In 1927, Voretzsch acquired Colmberg Castle in Middle Franconia where he began storing his art collection. In 1928, Ernst Arthur Voretzsch was appointed German Imperial Consul to Tokyo.  While in office, Voretzsch was not interested in power-politics either in Tokyo or Berlin. He was instead moved by Chinese, Japanese and Korean art. The works of art from these regions that he collected became one of the most valuable historical collections of Oriental art held outside Asia. Voretzsch retired in 1933 and withdrew to Colmberg Castle. In 1937 he founded a museum for Asian art in Bamberg which he directed until 1959. For his commitment to art history he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Erlangen. He died on May 18, 1965 at the age of 95.  Voretzsch wrote nearly a dozen works [in German] on Chinese art, all of which seem to be scarce. Worldcat lists eleven libraries worldwide holding copies of CHINESISCHE GEMALDE - CHINESE PICTURES. We were unable to ascertain the present whereabouts of his magnificent collection of art. HEAVY LARGE BOOK. Will require additional postage and insurance.

Seller Inventory # 009517

Bibliographic Details

• Title: CHINESISCHE GEMALDE - CHINESE PICTURES.
• Publisher: Otsuka Kogeisha, Tokyo
• Publication Date: 1932
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: Fine
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)
• Seller catalogs:
  • China